The present invention relates to an apparatus for collecting and sifting material. More particularly, the apparatus of the invention relates to an apparatus that may be used to scoop soiled wood shavings and manure from an animal stall, sift out unsoiled wood shavings for reuse and collect soiled wood shavings and manure in a receptacle for disposal.
Wood shavings are often used as bedding materials in animal stalls, such as horse stalls. The wood shavings typically completely cover a floor of the stall. Since an animal is kept within the stall for long periods of time, some of the wood shavings become soiled by animal urine and manure.
A pitchfork having closely-spaced tines has been used to remove urine-soaked wood shavings and manure that are concentrated in a particular area of a horse stall. The manual separation of droppings from the wood shavings with a pitchfork is tedious and time-consuming work. Typically, during stall cleaning, some of the wood shavings are removed from the stalls with the droppings. The removed wood shavings and manure are then discarded. However, a portion of the wood shavings that are removed includes unsoiled wood shavings that could be reused if the unsoiled shavings were separated from the droppings. The expense of replacing wood shavings in a stall is be reduced if the unsoiled shavings are reused rather than discarded. Additionally, waste is reduced by reusing the unsoiled shavings rather than discarding the unsoiled shavings.
Devices exist that utilize vibratory screening devices to separate unsoiled wood shavings from stalls. One such device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,513 to Hart, which uses a shaker frame that is inclined suspended on springs carried on a carriage. The Hart device requires a user to manually deposit wood chips and manure onto the shaker frame of the apparatus. Additionally, a user is required to position a container at one end of the shaker frame of the device to catch soiled wood shavings and manure for disposal.
An apparatus for collecting and sifting material includes a stationary portion and a vibrating portion. The stationary portion includes a support, such as a pair of wheels, that support a frame. A scoop is located at a front end of the frame. Upwardly extending sidewalls are provided on each side of the scoop and frame to contain materials thereon. A handle is provided on a rear end of the frame. A receptacle is located behind the frame on the apparatus and is positioned such that materials may slide off of the rear end of the frame into the receptacle. A support cable is affixed to the handle and to the receptacle to support the receptacle. A power supply is supported by the handles. The vibrating portion of the apparatus includes a tray that is supported by the frame. The tray has a rigid perimeter that surrounds and supports a plurality of spaced elements, such as tray cables. Elastomeric grommets are located at corners of the tray between the tray and the frame support the tray on the frame. A motor is mounted on the tray. The motor rotates an off-center weight to impart vibration to the tray. The motor is operably connected to the power supply to receive power from the power supply.
In use, an operator forces the scoop under material, such as wood chips and manure, to direct the material onto the scoop and tray. Once a desired amount of material is collected, the operator pushes down on the handle to pivot the frame about the wheels to level the apparatus. The motor is activated to impart vibration to the tray. The operator may then selectively angle the frame by pivoting the frame about the wheels so that the material slides onto the spaced tray cables within the tray. Typically, the wood chips will vibrate through the spaced tray cables, while larger pieces of manure will remain upon the tray. The operator may then further the depress handles, thereby raising the front end of the frame so that any material remaining upon the spaced tray cables of the tray will vibrate towards the rear end of the frame and will fall into the receptacle.